Set of four antique whimsical hand painted, framed French menus

A rare and whimsical set of four original French first-class steamship menus, each dated 1901 and delightfully illustrated with anthropomorphic animals in humorous dining scenes. These menus, issued aboard French passenger liners such as Paquebot Sénégal and Paquebot Indus, combine fine Belle Époque culinary history with charming satirical artwork.

Each menu is printed with its daily bill of fare—multi-course dinners featuring classic French cuisine—alongside vivid illustrations of lions, giraffes, ostriches, camels, and monkeys in playful caricature. The menus are lithographed and signed by the artist, then printed by Imprimerie Marseillaise A. Dardelet, a noted printer of luxury ephemera in the early 20th century.

Mounted with care in deep red mats and framed in complementary wood frames, the collection is both a decorative statement and a historical artifact of turn-of-the-century ocean travel. Such menus are increasingly scarce, especially in sets.

Medium: Lithographed illustrated menus on paper, framed under glass. Subjects: Paquebot Sénégal & Indus (first-class steamship dining.Condition: Very good antique condition; menus show light toning consistent with age; frames clean and ready to hang